Control knob for vehicle

ABSTRACT

A control knob for a vehicle has an improved outward appearance by forming a boundary line between two different materials in a portion that is not visible and preventing abrupt differences in color due to light refraction. The control knob is produced by dual injection molding of two different materials, is installed on one end of a shift lever, and functions as a handgrip. The control knob includes an portion of opaque and transparent materials, an overlapping portion opaque and transparent materials, and a coated portion formed of paint applied to portions of the transparent portion that do not overlap with the opaque portion. A boundary surface between the opaque and transparent portions is such that a refractive index of light passing through the transparent portion from the overlapping portion is close to a refractive index of light passing through the transparent portion from the coated portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of Korean Patent ApplicationNumber 10-2011-0130203 filed Dec. 7, 2011, the entire contents of whichapplication is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a control knob for a vehicle, and moreparticularly, to a control knob for a vehicle, with an improved outwardappearance.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, a vehicle is equipped with a shift lever to select eachgear. Further, when the shift lever is manipulated by a driver, aselecting cable and a shifting cable connected to the bottom of theshift lever are moved in connection to perform selecting and shifting ofgears.

A control knob is installed on the shift lever. Here, the control knobdenotes a handgrip installed on the end of the shift lever. Further, thecontrol knob is formed to improve the grip feel of the shift lever.Moreover, as a decorative element inside a vehicle, the outwardappearance of a control knob is important.

A control knob may be produced by applying dual injection moldingaccording to the intent of the producer. Here, dual injection molding isa forming method in which two materials are used to produce anintegrally and/or monolithically formed item. In such dual injectionmolding, a mold designed to be capable of dual injection molding is usedwhich uses an injection molding machine with a structure in which twoinjection molding devices, a rotating device installed on a movingplate, and a core or a slide structure are used. Further, one materialis injected in a primary cavity, and another material is injected into asecondary cavity to produce a formed item in which two materials areintegrally formed.

In dual injection molding, because the primary cavity and the secondarycavity are precisely replaced, there are few restrictions as to theshape and the range of products to which the process may be applied. Asdescribed above, two materials are simultaneously extruded in dualinjection molding. Accordingly, costs may be reduced and designs may bediversified when compared to a related art forming method which requiresthat two components are formed through two extrusion processes, followedby secondary processing such as bonding or painting.

However, for a control knob produced by dual injection molding, aboundary line may be formed between two different materials or an abruptchange in color may occur, which may deteriorate the outward appearanceof the control knob.

The information disclosed in this Background section is only forenhancement of understanding of the general background of the inventionand should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestionthat this information forms the prior art already known to a personskilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Various aspects of the present invention provide for a control knob fora vehicle having the advantages of an improved outward appearance.

Various aspects of the present invention provide for a control knob fora vehicle, which is produced by dual injection molding of two differentmaterials, is installed on one end of a shift lever, and functions as ahandgrip, the control knob including an opaque portion formed of anopaque material which is one of the two materials, a transparent portionformed of a transparent material which is the other of the twomaterials, an overlapping portion at which the opaque portion and thetransparent portion overlap, and a coated portion formed of paintapplied to portions of the transparent portion that do not overlap withthe opaque portion, wherein a boundary surface between the opaqueportion and the transparent portion is formed in a slope such that arefractive index of light passing through the transparent portion fromthe overlapping portion is close to a refractive index of light passingthrough the transparent portion from the coated portion.

The overlapping portion may be formed by a portion of a top surface ofthe opaque portion overlapping a portion of an undersurface of thetransparent portion.

A boundary line formed to be externally exposed by the boundary surfacemay be formed at a side surface of the overlapping portion.

The coated portion may be formed on an undersurface of the transparentportion.

The boundary surface between the opaque portion and the transparentportion may be formed sloped as a gradually curved surface.

The boundary surface between the opaque portion and the transparentportion may be formed in a slope, such that a thickness of thetransparent portion from the overlapping portion gradually changes alongthe boundary surface.

As described above, according to various aspects of the presentinvention, a boundary line between two different materials may be formedin a portion that is not visible. Further, abrupt differences in colordue to light refraction may be prevented. Thus, it is possible toimprove the outward appearance. In addition, customer satisfaction maybe improved.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other featuresand advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in moredetail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, andthe following Detailed Description, which together serve to explaincertain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary control knob for a vehicleaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an exemplary control knob for a vehicleaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an overlapping portion viewed fromdirection A-A in FIG. 2 according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an overlapping portion viewed fromdirection A-A in FIG. 2 according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary case in which thethickness of a transparent portion forming an overlapping portion isuniform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of thepresent invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) willbe described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will beunderstood that present description is not intended to limit theinvention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, theinvention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplaryembodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalentsand other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a control knob for a vehicle accordingto various embodiments of the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 is atop plan view of a control knob for a vehicle according to variousembodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a control knob 10 includes an opaque portion20, a transparent portion 30 and an overlapping portion 40. Further, theopaque portion 20 and the transparent portion 30 are integrally formedthrough dual injection molding. Here, dual injection molding is aforming method that uses two different materials to produce anintegrally and/or monolithically formed item, a method that is otherwiseconventional, so that a detailed description thereof will not beprovided.

In various embodiments of the present invention, one opaque material andone transparent material are used as the two different materials.

The opaque portion 20 is formed of the opaque material. Further, theopaque portion 20 may be formed in a curved plate shape so as to improvegrip feel for a driver. In addition, a portion of the plate of theopaque portion 20 is formed as an empty space.

A plurality of coupling protrusions 24 is formed on the undersurface ofthe opaque portion 20. Further, the coupling protrusions 24 are formedso as to couple the control knob 10 to a shift lever. Specifically, theshift lever may receive the coupling protrusions 24 so as to be coupled.

The transparent portion 30 is formed of the transparent material.Further, the transparent portion 30 is formed in the empty space and isformed in a single curved shape together with the opaque portion 20. Inaddition, text, a drawing, etc. may be applied to the transparentportion to show a gear pattern or display a design. A paint of the samecolor as the opaque portion 20 may be applied to the transparent portion30.

An overlapping portion 40 is a portion in which the opaque portion 20and the transparent portion 30 are stacked and overlapped. Further, theoverlapping portion 40 is formed where a portion of the top surface ofthe opaque portion 20 contacts a portion of the undersurface of thetransparent portion 30. Therefore, a portion at which the boundarybetween the opaque portion 20 and the transparent portion 30 isexternally exposed may be formed at a side surface.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an overlapping portion viewed fromdirection A-A in FIG. 2 according to various embodiments of the presentinvention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the overlapping portion 40 includes an opaqueboundary surface 22, a transparent boundary surface 32, and a boundaryline 42.

The opaque boundary surface 22 is the top surface of the opaque portion20 at the overlapping portion 40. Further, the transparent boundarysurface 32 is the undersurface of the transparent portion 30 at theoverlapping portion 40. Thus, the opaque boundary surface 22 and thetransparent boundary surface 32 contact to form the overlapping portion40. The opaque boundary surface 22 and the transparent boundary surface32 may be formed in mutually corresponding shapes.

The boundary line 42 is a portion at which the boundary between theopaque portion 20 and the transparent portion 30 is externally exposed.Further, the boundary line 42 is formed at a side surface of theoverlapping portion 40 at which the opaque boundary surface 22 contactsthe transparent boundary surface 32.

When this boundary line 42 is externally exposed, the outward appearanceof the control knob 10 may be deteriorated. Further, when the boundaryline 42 is exposed at the side surface of the control knob 10, theoutward appearance may be improved over exposure at the top surface. Inaddition, when the boundary line 42 is formed at the side surface of thecontrol knob 10, when the control knob 10 is coupled with the shiftlever, the boundary line 42 may be covered by a portion of the shiftlever so as not to be visible.

FIG. 3 illustrates a coated portion 50 formed on the transparent portion30 except for the overlapping portion 40.

A coated portion 50 is formed by paint being applied to a portion of theundersurface of the transparent portion 30 that is not the transparentboundary surface 32. Specifically, the coated portion 50 denotes a layerof paint having a certain thickness. Further, paint of the same color asthe opaque portion 20 is used for the coated portion 50. The top surfaceof the coated portion 50 contacting the undersurface of the transparentportion 30 is a coated portion boundary surface 52. The transparentportion 30 contacting the coated portion 50 may be formed of a uniformthickness.

The arrows in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 schematically illustrate the refractionof light. The color of the opaque portion 20 and the coated portion 50may be perceived differently according to differences in the refractiveindices of light. Further, because the materials of the opaque portion20 and the coated portion 50 are different, the refractive indicesthereof are different.

In various embodiments of the present invention, the opaque boundarysurface 22 is formed in a slope in order to prevent colors from beingperceived differently due to the difference in refractive indices of theopaque portion 20 and the coated portion 50. In addition, the opaqueboundary surface 22 is formed in a downward slope in a direction fromthe boundary line 42 toward the coated portion 50. Further, thetransparent boundary surface 32 is formed in a sloped shapecorresponding to the opaque boundary surface 22.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an overlapping portion viewed fromdirection A-A in FIG. 2 according to various embodiments of the presentinvention.

Hereinafter, the overlapping portion 40 according to various embodimentsof the present invention will be described in detail with reference toFIG. 4. Further, repetitive descriptions of constituent elements in FIG.4 that are the same as those in FIG. 3 will not be provided.

In various embodiments of the present invention, the opaque boundarysurface 22 is formed as a gradually sloped surface in order to preventcolors from being perceived differently due to the difference inrefractive indices of the opaque portion 20 and the coated portion 50.Further, the opaque boundary surface 22 is formed in a downward slope ina direction from the boundary line 42 toward the coated portion 50. Theopaque boundary surface 22 may be formed as a convex curved surface.Further, the transparent boundary surface 32 is formed in a sloped shapecorresponding to the opaque boundary surface 22.

One will appreciate that the shape of the opaque boundary surface 22 inFIGS. 3 and 4 may be modified and applied to prevent colors of theopaque portion 20 and the coated portion 50 from being perceiveddifferently. That is, the thickness of the transparent portion 30 at thetop of the opaque boundary surface 22 may be formed to gradually widenin a downward direction from the boundary line 42 toward the coatedportion 50. In addition, the refractive index of light may be formeddifferently according to the thickness of the transparent portion 30.Therefore, an abrupt change in refractive index at the boundary betweenthe opaque portion 20 and the coated portion 50 may be prevented.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a case in which the thickness of atransparent portion forming an overlapping portion is uniform.

When the thickness of the transparent portion 30 forming the overlappingportion 40 is formed uniformly, the refractive index of light at theboundary between the opaque portion 20 and the coated portion 50 changesabruptly. Accordingly, an abrupt change in color may be perceivedbetween the opaque portion 20 and the coated portion 50.

As described above, according to various embodiments of the presentinvention, the boundary line 42 of two different materials is producedin a portion that is not visible. Further, an abrupt difference in colordue to the refraction of light may be prevented. Therefore, outwardappearance may be improved. In addition, customer satisfaction may beimproved.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appendedclaims, the terms top, and etc. are used to describe features of theexemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such featuresas displayed in the figures.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention have been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in orderto explain certain principles of the invention and their practicalapplication, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make andutilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as wellas various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended thatthe scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto andtheir equivalents.

1. A control knob for a vehicle formed by dual injection molding of twodifferent materials and installed on one end of a shift lever tofunction as a handgrip, the control knob comprising: an opaque portionformed of an opaque material which is one of the two materials; atransparent portion formed of a transparent material which is another ofthe two materials; an overlapping portion at which the opaque portionand the transparent portion overlap; and a coated portion formed ofpaint applied to portions of the transparent portion that do not overlapwith the opaque portion; wherein a boundary surface between the opaqueportion and the transparent portion is formed in a slope such that arefractive index of light passing through the transparent portion fromthe overlapping portion is close to a refractive index of light passingthrough the transparent portion from the coated portion. and wherein theboundary surface between the opaque portion and the transparent portionis formed sloped as a gradually curved surface.
 2. The control knob ofclaim 1, wherein: the overlapping portion is formed by a portion of atop surface of the opaque portion overlapping a portion of anundersurface of the transparent portion.
 3. The control knob of claim 1,wherein: a boundary line formed to be externally exposed by the boundarysurface is formed at a side surface of the overlapping portion.
 4. Thecontrol knob of claim 1, wherein: the coated portion is formed on anundersurface of the transparent portion.
 5. (canceled)
 6. The controlknob of claim 1, wherein: the boundary surface between the opaqueportion and the transparent portion is formed in a slope, such that athickness of the transparent portion from the overlapping portiongradually changes along the boundary surface.